Mage without staff ?

[Imyo]

Is it possible to play without using a weapon as a mage? should i invest in willpower at the start ? Also is there a way to avoid punching enemies if i do this ? i dont understand the tactics very much yet.

[Ilja]

Staff is what you are using to cast those magic attacks. So, no. You need staff.

However, there is a specialization later in the game, which gives more options for mage. They still need to wield some sort of weapon.

Mages should focus on Willpower and Magic. Willpower allows them to use more spells and magic determines strength of those spells.

[fauxpas]

You don't have to use a staff, bit as a mage why would you want to nerf yourself like that? I can see a battlemage that uses a different weapon but unarmed is just a ... bad idea.

[worm_master]

A staff is the mages "sword" pit simply "A mage DO'S NOT need a staff". how-ever staff's infer bounos's which are very useful, as well as providing a ranged attack, that isint dependant of manna level.

A staff is ESSESNTAIL in this game....

[Imyo]

Thanks for the replies, so basically you NEED a weapon equiped to cast some spells ? The reason behind not using a staff is for roleplaying purposes alone

[Ilja]

You need staff for basic magic attacks. It will also increase your spell power.

If you want to drop it, then go ahead. You need very good regen for your mana though, if you plan to cast spells all the time in combat.

[ADEC Inc]

So you could equip a bow or crossbow, but they won't be as good as the staff. Equipping any other weapon would need more str unless you become an Arcane Warrior. Many spells require you to sheathe any weapons other than a staff before casting. You could also just do Shapechanging I guess, but then you won't really be casting much at all.

[Imyo]

Originally posted by ADEC Inc:

So you could equip a bow or crossbow, but they won't be as good as the staff. Equipping any other weapon would need more str unless you become an Arcane Warrior. Many spells require you to sheathe any weapons other than a staff before casting. You could also just do Shapechanging I guess, but then you won't really be casting much at all.

That was the idea initially, to invest in willpower to be able to cast enough, then shapeshift when absolutely out of mana. I was also planning on using quite a good amount of potions to sustain mana too, the staff animations are clunky so i wanted to roleplay around it even if it gimps the character. I just wanted to know if it was possible to cast all spells without it, the idea is to go entropy heavy, bloodmagic eventually, and shapeshifting.

[Redman]

You CAN cast without a staff but you're weakening yourself a little bit(not significantly) because the staff has a modifier, auto attack, spellpower bonuses and elemental bonuses. It is still perfectly doable considering how powerful a Mage generally is.

On Right Click, your Mage will still try to punch as that's the default no weapon attack type. Only staves give you the free, long ranged Arcane Bolt auto-attack spell.

I strongly recommend against using Shapeshifting. It's really lame and gets old very quickly. It's like playing as a summon rather than as full fledged character.

[ADEC Inc]

You should be able to stop the punching by setting the cautious, defensive, or passive Behavior.

[Tempest Fox3]

You don't need a staff, Staff just gives you a ranged basic attack and usually augments your casting with buffs on the staff.

You can use other weapons if you have the stats for them and the Arcane Warrior mage specialisation allows you to substitute Strength with Magic for equipment requirements and attack rolls. Allowing a Mage to use heavy weapons and armour well enough. You do miss out on the weapon skills other classes have but you know, you have magic so you don't need it :P

As for having them not run up and punch without a staff equipped, you'd need to not use the basic attack, not sure if there's a why to do that in tactics specifically but for a character you control it's easy to just stay at range and use spells.

Also shapeshifting sucks balls, use any of the other 3 specialisations.

[Tempest Fox3]

Originally posted by ADEC Inc:

So you could equip a bow or crossbow, but they won't be as good as the staff. Equipping any other weapon would need more str unless you become an Arcane Warrior. Many spells require you to sheathe any weapons other than a staff before casting. You could also just do Shapechanging I guess, but then you won't really be casting much at all.

There is meant to be a sword that acts like a staff and allows you to channel spells without requiring you to sheathe it. Spellweaver I believe it was called? But it was bugged on release and I don't think it ever got an official fix. Might be a mod that can patch it tho.

[ADEC Inc]

There are mods allowing unsheathed casting, but they tend to be incompatible with many other mods.

[Crystal Sharrd]

Originally posted by Tempest Fox3:

Originally posted by ADEC Inc:

So you could equip a bow or crossbow, but they won't be as good as the staff. Equipping any other weapon would need more str unless you become an Arcane Warrior. Many spells require you to sheathe any weapons other than a staff before casting. You could also just do Shapechanging I guess, but then you won't really be casting much at all.

There is meant to be a sword that acts like a staff and allows you to channel spells without requiring you to sheathe it. Spellweaver I believe it was called? But it was bugged on release and I don't think it ever got an official fix. Might be a mod that can patch it tho.

Checked and haven't seen any mods that fix it, and neither of the big bugfixing mods fix it either. I would like to point out though that Spellweaver can only be equipped by Mages with the Arcane Warrior specialization.

[Redman]

I would say just use the no-sheathing spell casting mod. Even if you use other weapons while casting spells, it's not like you're really gaining an advantage there.